PA PA - Tracy King, 14, Littlestown, 8 July 1975

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Richard said:
The actual distance between the two towns is 50 statute miles. You are correct that it may be more than an hour drive, since there are (and were) a few stop signs and stop lights and some speed limits lower than 55 mph.

Traffic today is indeed much heavier than it was in the 1970's. Back in 1975, a drive on Highway 97 would have been a fairly easy trip.

I don't think, however, that the time of the drive (whether an hour or two hours) between Littlestown and Wheaton would have been critical to an abductor who might have chosen to make that drive. He likely would have taken his time and would have been careful not to attract any attention by speeding or driving recklessly.

In Tracy's case, the more critical time and distance would have been the amount of time that it took to get her from Littlestown to the Maryland state line - which would have been only a few minutes.

I do not know how long she was missing before police were contacted, but it was probably long after her abductor had driven into Maryland with her, and hence out of their jurisdiciton for pursuit.
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I don't know if you have ever driven on that route before but it absolutely is well over an hour.
I am not saying it is not connected to the Lyon sisters but for those not familiar with the route between Wheaton and Littlestown it not like you jump on a highway and it's a straight shot. 97 (Georgia Ave) in DC turns into a much more rural area the further north you go.
I just don't want people to have the perception that it is a quick trip or that you'd just end up in Littlestown via Wheaton.
 
Richard said:
Littlestown, PA is only about two miles from the Maryland state line. It is closer to Maryland than it is to any other town in Pennsylvania.
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Hoffman Homes however is not two miles from the Maryland state line. If you would have asked me before where Hoffman Homes is I would have said Gettysburg. It is not in "town" it is on the outskirts.
Granted it is still very close to Maryland.
 
abstr said:
Hoffman Homes however is not two miles from the Maryland state line. If you would have asked me before where Hoffman Homes is I would have said Gettysburg. It is not in "town" it is on the outskirts.
Granted it is still very close to Maryland.
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Unfortunately, there is not a lot of really clear information as to where Tracy went missing/was abducted. Here is what various sources (quoted from earlier posts this thread) state:

- Tracy Anne King, 14, Missing since July 8, 1975 from Littlestown, Adams County, Pennsylvania.
Classification: Non Family Abduction

- King was last seen leaving Hoffman Homes, a children's home in Mount Pleasant Township, Pennsylvania on July 8, 1975.

- King's family resided in Perry County, Pennsylvania in 1975.

The link in one of my previous posts lists the address for Hoffman Homes as a post office box in Gettysburg. Directions indicate that it was near Hwy 97.

Police believe that she was abducted by a non-family member. But there is no published evidence or information regarding that belief.

Also, all websites indicate that she went missing from Littlestown, PA, but none state anything further to support why that town is considered the point of disappearance.

Tracy could have been taken in any direction after being abducted, but a good possibility is that she was taken on Highway 97, which runs from Gettysburg, through Littlestown, into Maryland and down to Washington DC. Again, the abductor probably was very careful in his/her driving to not attract any attention.

Driving into Gettysburg with an abducted girl is unlikely. While there is no evidence that she was taken to Maryland (or anywhere else) it might explain why she was never found in Pennsylvania.

Also there is no evidence that her disappearance was connected with the 25 March 1975 disappearance of the Lyon sisters (ages 10 and 12) from Wheaton, MD or with the 24 July 1975 abduction and murder of Kathy Beatty (age 14) near Hwy 97 in Aspen Hill, MD. But, the possibility of connection should be considered for several reasons: victimology, circumstances, time frame, and geographic locality.
 
So sad there is no real concrete info on this. I still want to know more about her family.
 
Richard said:
Unfortunately, there is not a lot of really clear information as to where Tracy went missing/was abducted. Here is what various sources (quoted from earlier posts this thread) state:

- Tracy Anne King, 14, Missing since July 8, 1975 from Littlestown, Adams County, Pennsylvania.
Classification: Non Family Abduction

- King was last seen leaving Hoffman Homes, a children's home in Mount Pleasant Township, Pennsylvania on July 8, 1975.

- King's family resided in Perry County, Pennsylvania in 1975.

The link in one of my previous posts lists the address for Hoffman Homes as a post office box in Gettysburg. Directions indicate that it was near Hwy 97.

Police believe that she was abducted by a non-family member. But there is no published evidence or information regarding that belief.

Also, all websites indicate that she went missing from Littlestown, PA, but none state anything further to support why that town is considered the point of disappearance.

Tracy could have been taken in any direction after being abducted, but a good possibility is that she was taken on Highway 97, which runs from Gettysburg, through Littlestown, into Maryland and down to Washington DC. Again, the abductor probably was very careful in his/her driving to not attract any attention.

Driving into Gettysburg with an abducted girl is unlikely. While there is no evidence that she was taken to Maryland (or anywhere else) it might explain why she was never found in Pennsylvania.

Also there is no evidence that her disappearance was connected with the 25 March 1975 disappearance of the Lyon sisters (ages 10 and 12) from Wheaton, MD or with the 24 July 1975 abduction and murder of Kathy Beatty (age 14) near Hwy 97 in Aspen Hill, MD. But, the possibility of connection should be considered for several reasons: victimology, circumstances, time frame, and geographic locality.
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Hoffman Homes is just of 97, not exactly how far back the road it sits and it is a large campus but definitely close.
Mt. Pleasant and Two Taverns sit between Littlestown and Gettysburg but all four of those areas are extremely close.
If abducted she also could have been taken north and rather than through Gettysburg she could have been taken on Route 15 towards York or Harrisburg. Alternately 15 also runs in the opposite direction and would eventually take you to 70/270 and towards DC.
All just speculation.
 
8 July 1975 (the day Tracy went missing) was a Tuesday. It was the day before the new moon.

25 March 1975 (the day the Lyon sisters went missing) was also a Tuesday. It was a day or two before the full moon.

Both disappearances took place during daylight hours.
 
I had to go a little outside of Gettysburg for work today and I finished early so I decided to take a detour on the way home to refresh my memory of the area around Hoffman Homes. I knew I'd been past Hoffman Homes more then once when I was young. (I never lived in PA but was there quite often). I remembered Hoffman Homes as being just off 97. I drove back Hoffman Homes Road today and actually Hoffman Homes is not right on Hoffman Homes Road. You have to take a right again onto Orphanage Road. It is 2.7 miles from the first entrance you come to now to 97. By farm fields it may be closer.
I am curious if she disappeared right from Hoffman Homes or if was attending public schools as some of the residents there do today and did then, if she disappeared from school.
I think I said Mt. Pleasant and Two Taverns are between Littlestown and Gettysburg where H.H. sits. It is actually Mt. Joy and Two Taverns. They are villages and not villages as a New Englander might picture it. The villages there don't include a grocery, bakery,etc. it is basically a stretch of road.
As I stated before the entire area from the Maryland line to Gettysburg with H.H. being about midway between is quite close (I'd guess a total of 5 miles each way).
I am not sure what any of this means but just trying to give a bit more of a picture.
It is still a very quiet area. I would imagine back then H.H. Road was primarily farmland.
 
Thanks for the perspective, abstr.

There is much to be said for actually being at the site and trying to imagine what Tracy had in mind when she set out and where she (and her abductor) might have been traveling.

You are probably right about some of the children from Hoffmann Home attending school in the community. My guess is, however, that it was on a case by case basis. That is, depending on the educational needs and level of psycological services needed for each individual child.

I would think that those children who were sent to public or private schools outside Hoffmann Homes had been at Hoffmann for a longer period of time and who were more stable in their treatment and behavior. But that is only my opinion.

I am not certain how long Tracy had been at Hoffmann Homes or if she was attending classes elsewhere. She went missing in early July, so unless she was in a summer school program, it is more likely that she actually was at the Home itself when last seen. Again just my thoughts - I wish we knew more.
 
That is what all the argumentative posts with you were about in reference to DC to Gettysburg. I live close to the DC end of 97 and the thought of Gettysburg is not close at all.
I was suprised by how far off 97 HH is.
I know now that some kids get educated on campus and some in public schools and by other posters seems in the 70's at least some attended public schools.....
Like you said....so few details.
 
I wish there were more details about her disappearance. It would be very helpful.

Please, take the time to write a letter to prevent Fred Coffey from getting a parole. It is very important to stop him from ever being set free. He will molest and murder again. moo
 
I always believe pictures are worth a thousand words.

3502


Tracy Ann King
 
JeannieC said:
I always believe pictures are worth a thousand words.

3502


Tracy Ann King
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I was wondering if this Jane Doe could be Tracey. Her name isn't eliminated in Namus. As she was 14 when she disappeared the 2 inches in height would not be a big deal as she would grow until age 16 at least. Also, I noticed a birthmark/freckle on both nose bridges and chin. I can't tell the other marks due to picture quality (over exposure maybe) and the UID has not been "cleaned up well." Both have scars on their ankles. UID has other scars, but with a time elapse it is possible. Any chance she ran away or left by choice?


https://identifyus.org/en/cases/4790
 
The above link is to Namus. There is also a long thread in the Unidentified section of Websleuths on the same case. It is titled "Buckskin Girl".
 
Hello, I do not know how far these area's are from Washington ,Pa. I do know that I was abducted held captive and raped in this area in 1971. I was told years later that one girl age 14 was abducted and murdered by these same people. I have never been able to confirm this information. However; they let me go after three days and I never reported them out of fear. I was only 14 and a half years old. I still think of this and know that there must be others they harmed as well. My heart goes out to these families of missing children.
 
Dstevenson_1956 said:
Hello, I do not know how far these area's are from Washington ,Pa. I do know that I was abducted held captive and raped in this area in 1971. I was told years later that one girl age 14 was abducted and murdered by these same people. I have never been able to confirm this information. However; they let me go after three days and I never reported them out of fear. I was only 14 and a half years old. I still think of this and know that there must be others they harmed as well. My heart goes out to these families of missing children.
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I am so sorry for what happened to you DStevenson. I live about 40 miles Southeast of Washington PA. I googled where Tracy King went missing from, and it located in Adams County PA, which is almost a 3 hour drive from Washington. It is basically a straight hop on the PA turnpike to I70, so it could have been the same person... Stranger things have happened.
 
DStevenson, I am so sorry for your pain-but have you considered going to the authorities now?
 
Were the staff at the school thoroughly checked out? Was the building throughly searched?
 
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